String Quartets: B Flat Major, K.159 / E Flat Major, K.160 / F Major, K.168 / F Major K.169

Released in 1956 by Westminster Records, this recording features the Barylli Quartet performing four of Mozart’s early string quartets. The Barylli Quartet was led by Walter Barylli, the concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic, and was highly regarded during the mid-twentieth century for its adherence to the traditional Viennese style of chamber music playing, which emphasized a lyrical, refined approach to the classical repertoire.

The album serves as part of the label’s efforts to capture the nuanced, sophisticated interpretations of the Mozart chamber canon during a period of high-fidelity recording advancements. Designed to showcase the precise interplay between the four string players, the performance reflects the specific aesthetic of the postwar era, focusing on clarity and stylistic elegance rather than modern experimentalism. It remains a notable document of the mid-century Viennese school’s dedication to the composer’s lighter, formative works.